General Health

Dear @JohnnyDoe  Prolonged PR interval might suggest first degree heart block.  Generally treatment is not required for first-degree heart block unless PR interval is extremely prolonged(>400 ms) or rapidly evolving. Cardiac Pacing might be required for extremely prolonged PR interval. You might wish to consult a cardiologist who might recommend further investigations such as 24 hours holter monitoring or threadmill test. Hope this helps.

Dear @b_itchy. You have likely correctly identified the trigger of your hive (urticaria). A skin prick test will help to identify the allergen that you are sensitive to. You might wish to consult your Family Physician/ designated workplace doctor to assist you in finding out the allergen and workplace modifications can possibly be done to reduce your exposure to the allergens.  Anti histamines such as zyrtec are safe for regular consumption and helps in treating urticaria. You might wish to take anti histamines prior to exposure of your allergens in order to prevent or reduce the severity of your urticaria. Hope this helps.

Dear @Wello1 . May I know where is his ulcer located? In the mouth or legs or other parts of the body?

Hi @Sabb I'm not sure what you mean, could you elaborate on your question? If you're asking whether there are any serious drawbacks of consuming these foods then the answer is no - they are not associated with any major health issues, and safe when consumed under normal circumstances and regular eating in moderation.

Hi @Dae there are several possible causes for this, such as inflammatory conditions/infections. You will need to have a discussion with a doctor to work this out and evaluate what medications you may require based on further assessment accordingly.

This can either be done at a GP clinic near your home, or potentially online via apps that provide video-based consultations, and the attending doctor would be able to prescribe medications and have them delivered to you. Here is a link that shares more about it: https://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/raffles-connect/teleconsult/

Hi @malfrands. Is the rash itchy and affecting other parts of the body too? 

The rash appears like urticaria which is usually raised and itchy. Urticaria can be due to many possible causes. Most commonly drug-induced, food- induced, viral infection or idiopathic ( Nil obvious trigger). 

You might benefit from oral anti-histamines ( if you arent allergic to them). However do consult a doctor if you experience any breathing difficulty/ fever/ worsening rashes. Hope this helps.

Dear @emscaredplshelp. Vaccination takes 1-2 weeks before immunity develops. Yes, you can still get infected by an animal which carries rabies if vaccination was only performed on the dog that day. If in doubt, it is best to seek medical attention and consider getting rabies immunoglobulin injection near the wound to prevent the virus from infecting you.

Hi @Singaporean_ZR I'm sorry to hear that, and I hope her condition has stabilised! There are many possible causes for stroke, and specific recommendations are driven by what caused it in her case. In general, a balanced diet with 1-2 servings daily of fruits and vegetables would be beneficial. Moreover, it would be good to cut back on oily fried food, and reduce consumption of animal fat where possible. For example, when eating fatty meats like pork/beef, cut out and avoid eating large chunks of fat. Alternatively, opt for leaner meats like fish instead - Salmon would be a good option. I hope this helps!

Hi @Seamus! Thank you for your question. 

It can take about 2-3 months before the wart is completely gone. I would say they you should follow up with your GP to have a look to make sure it has healed effectively. As the wart "dies" off, you should see normal skin as per what you mentioned but some people may notice some darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation) which will eventually subside to normal healthy skin. Further, there should not be any elevation in your skin and it should be flat once treatment is completed. 

Do note that warts can recur regardless of treatment though not very likely. 

Hope this helps! 

Hi @JgS. Thank you for your question. I hope your recovery has been smooth so far and it must be tough for you. 

You are right to say that Fixcom can cause dizziness as it is a combination medication. But I would say that what is concerning for me is that you feel you are having a hard time to read which can indicate issues with eyesight. As some of the components of Fixcom can cause issues with your eyesight which are potentially sight threatening, I would recommend you immediately have your vision evaluated in this scenario. 

Dizziness has an extremely broad range of possible causes other than medication induced/ related to hypertension and it is possible to be due to slightly raised blood pressure. I would say it is extremely uncommon for a young man to have high blood pressure and you should be evaluated if this is persistent. The best way is to get a machine of your own and check every morning and night for a week and show it to a doctor. A single isolated reading of high blood pressure is insufficient for the diagnosis of high blood pressure. 

So in summary, do get your eyesight checked and evaluated further for your high blood pressure. 

Hope this helps!

Please do reply as fast as you can!

Hi @WaterCh3ese . Thank you for your question!

Based on your picture and the history you have given it doe seem suspicious of psoriasis. I would say you should see your GP for evaluation and perhaps consider a trial of steroid cream of calcineurin inhibitor creams (tacrolimus) and see if it improves. Other possibilities include some types of eczema and fungal infection it can also be a result of excessive scratching causing the skin to overgrow (may have started as a simple insect bite and progressed). 

The evaluation typically requires more history and examination for other similar rashes. If treatment fails, we would usually refer your to a dermatologist who may do a wood lamp examination together with some other tests. 

Hope this helps! 

Hi @curious_explorer sorry to hear about this! Yes, bee stings, or any irritant for the matter, can result in inflammation and aggravate eczema. That said, it is quite atypical for the effects of one-off exposures like these to persist for months.

You may want to have an in-depth review with your family physician or dermatologist that has been following up with you for this condition to try and assess why it may be worsening, or consider a video consultation online first to assess if you really need to make that trip down.

This can be done through one of the applications that provide medication delivery as well - more on this at this link: 
https://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/family-medicine/teleconsult

Dear Adena- braun. It is certainly frustrating to have an itchy and flaky scalp. You are likely to have eczema/ seborrhoeic dermatitis of  the scalp. They usually present with irritated, inflammed, red, itchy scalp.

You might wish to consider a change of shampoo to something gentle such as head and shoulder wash. Alternatively you may wish to consult a doctor and prescription medications such as anti fungal shampoo eg Pristine shampoo is useful for scalp eczema. Application of topical steroids such as clobetasol/ dermasone scalp lotion will also be useful for your condition. Lastly anti histamines such as cetirizine helps to reduce the itch.

You might find staying in air conditioned environment useful as hot and humid environment tends to trigger eczema and take note of any hair gel/ wax/ dye/ wash you apply to your hair/ scalp that could have irritated your scalp.

Hope this helps!

Hi @mona0lisa! This certainly sounds like a problem which is causing alot of distress. Sometimes, people can experience certain parts of their bodies sweating more often (eg. palms, armpit, feet), or even 'generalised increased sweatiness'  just based on how one's body reacts to external stimuli. 

Specific to the feet, good foot hygiene is key! This would include ensuring proper washing of feet with soap every time a person takes a bath, thorough drying of feet, and sometimes even applying powder on the feet to absorb moisture (which can be from sweating). Wearing sandals and slippers can help at times as well. If your skin is sensitive to excessive sweating, this can cause itchiness. As such, proper

The problem is that when the feet are moist and warm, fungus and other microorganisms love to grow. We certainly do not want this situation to happen. So regular foot self-inspections can be helpful as well.

Itchiness can be mainly either due to the skin being too sensitive to excessive sweat and/or the presence of microorganisms/infections. As such, proper foot hygiene should be able to reduce at least some of the symptoms you are experiencing. If the symptoms remain persistent and/or are causing you significant distress, it will be advisable to seek attention from a medical doctor.